Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Fluttering Shearwater
Puffinus gavia
Fluttering Shearwater (Puffinus gavia) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Fluttering Shearwater (Puffinus gavia) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 229 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Procellariiformes
- Family Procellariidae Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
- Genus Puffinus
- Species gavia
Where it lives
Islets of northeastern North I. and Marlborough Sounds (northeastern South I.; New Zealand)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 229 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fluttering Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Fluttering Shearwater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Fluttering Shearwater (Puffinus gavia) belongs to the Procellariidae family of the order Procellariiformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO islets of ne North I. and Marlborough Sounds (ne South I.; New Zealand).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 229 g, with a wing length of about 19.8 cm and a tail of around 5.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 10.2 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fluttering Shearwater?
The Fluttering Shearwater is a large bird that weighs around 229 g.
Where does the Fluttering Shearwater live?
The Fluttering Shearwater is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO islets of ne North I. and Marlborough Sounds (ne South I.; New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Fluttering Shearwater belong to?
The Fluttering Shearwater (Puffinus gavia) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Fluttering Shearwater eat?
The Fluttering Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Fluttering Shearwater migrate?
The Fluttering Shearwater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Fluttering Shearwater endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Fluttering Shearwater make?
1 real field recording of the Fluttering Shearwater — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Fluttering Shearwater's range?
The Fluttering Shearwater has a mapped global range of about 10.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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